A Kenya Navy soldier gunned down a boda boda rider on Wednesday, November 20, after he reportedly made his way in the Mtongwe Naval base forcefully.
According to reports by Nation, the rider, who has since been identified as Leonard Komora, was shot dead for trespassing into the highly restricted area.
However, a report from the Ministry of Defense claimed that the deceased had ignored several calls from the sentries stationed at the entry to the naval base, forcing them to act.
"The motorcyclist was flagged down by sentries to identify himself by forcefully proceeded towards the main gate at a high speed, even after a warning shot was fired. This prompted one of the soldiers on guard duties to fire two shots at the intruder in an attempt to immobilize him but he succumbed to his injuries," read an excerpt of the letter.
On the other hand, eyewitnesses claim that the rider had gone to pick up a customer at the soldier's residence where he met his tragic end.
"The report we have is that the rider was shot at for trespass. We have started further investigations," Likoni Sub-County Police Commander Jane Munyoki stated.
Speaking to Nation, mother to the deceased, Martha Njeri Munene, was distraught as she protested against being denied access to her son's body, with officers at the crime scene reportedly ordering her to stay 500 metres away from the scene.
"This is unfair. They have killed my son for no good reason. He was my only son. He was the one providing for me," she lamented.
One of the locals at the scene, Ali Khamis, alleged that riders were constantly harassed by the naval officers.
"The only customers that we usually pick are the soldiers themselves, but we usually suffer in the hands of these people," he stated.
